We know the best kinds of starters are the ones that leave your guests wanting more! Switch it up and try out a vegetable starter recipe- not only are they healthy and organic, but they’re also absolutely divine! If delicious veggies are a strange concept to you, these vegetable starter recipes will change your perspective on vegetarian dining!
1. Vegetable Starter Recipes: Pear and blue cheese tarts
Ingredients:
- 500g pack puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 150g blue cheese
- 2 pears, sliced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp double cream
- 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs to garnish
- 4 tbsp walnut oil
- 11/2 tbsp lemon juice
- Mixture of bitter lettuce leaves, such as chicory or radicchio
- 30g walnut pieces
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Roll the pastry into a 30 x 20cm rectangle. Cut in half lengthways, then make 2 cuts width-ways, to give 6 equal squares. Brush each square with the egg.
- Place the pear, 2 tbsp butter, sugar and salt in a small fry pan or saucepan over medium high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pear is softened and the pear juice has mixed in with the butter and sugar to form a syrup. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. When melted, add the onion to the pan, and fry until slightly browned.
- Mix the onion, blue cheese, cream, thyme and seasoning.
- Top each pastry square with one or two slices of pear and a generous tablespoon of the onion mixture and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Mix the walnut oil and lemon juice and toss with the salad and walnuts. Garnish each square with a thyme sprig and serve with the salad.
2. Vegetable Starter Recipes: Carrot, Sweet Potato and Feta Fritters
Next on the menu is a tasty carrot, sweet potato and feta fritter- a favourite vegetarian starter recipe!
Ingredients:
- 4 large carrots
- 1 large potato
- 1 large onion
- 1 large sweet potato
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 100g feta, crumbled
- 3 tbsp whole flour
- A handful fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- Green salad, lime wedges and plain yogurt to serve
Preparation:
- Peel and grate the carrots, potatoes and onion. Rinse in a colander under running water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, feta, flour, coriander and cumin seeds, then beat with a fork until mixed.
- Squeeze as much liquid from the veg as you can before adding to the egg mixture. Stir to combine and season well.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Shape the fritters using your hands and carefully place in the frying pan.
- Cook 2-3 at a time: fry for 1-2 minutes, then turn and repeat until golden.
3. Vegetable Starter Recipes: Grilled Haloumi & Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 100 g frozen broad beans
- 225 g halloumi cheese
- 1 small bunch of asparagus
- 2 courgettes / zucchinis
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots
- 200g ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ½ a bunch of fresh sweet marjoram or oregano
- ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation:
- Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool in cold water, then remove and discard the thick, white outer skins.
- Cut the haloumi into slices, trim and slice the asparagus, then finely slice the courgettes / zucchinis lengthways. Toss in the olive oil, then season.
- Heat a griddle pan over a high heat, then add the asparagus, courgettes and halloumi. Cook until nicely charred, remove and set aside.
- Finely slice the shallots into rings, halve the tomatoes, then layer up on a platter with the asparagus, courgettes, halloumi, broad beans and capers.
- Chop and scatter over the fresh herbs and finish with a drizzling of your preferred dressing.